Folding furniture



1965 J. A. ASHKOUTI ETAL 3,197,789

FOLDING FURNITURE Filed July 17, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS JOSEPH A .ASHKOUT! G 'ORGZ'F JILEZIGHT @zZZ/M/ ATTOJB EY 3, 1965 J. A. ASHKOUTI ETAL 3,197,789

FOLDING FURNITURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 17, 1961 s H A i fig zz J0 EP BY GEORGEM 52mm fTTgQ/EY Aug. 3, 1965 J. A. ASHKOUTI ETAL 3,197,789

FOLDING FURNITURE Filed July 17, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS \Q JOSEPHAASHKOOT! BY GEORGE M 5.21652 3, 1965 J. A. ASHKOUTI ETAL 3,197,789

FOLDING FURNITURE Filed July 17. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /O6 /O6 /08 05 /20 /2O FIG-.9

United States Patent 3,197,789 FOLDING FURNHURE loseph A. Ashkouti, 3%36 Slaton Drive NW., and George M. Bright, 525 Page Ave, both of Atlanta, Ga. Filed July 17, 1961, fies. No. 124,471 4 Claims. (Cl. l1)

This invention relates to folding furniture and especially to that type of folding furniture which employs a rigid or semi-rigid framework combined with a flexible material. Such furniture is conventionally used as outdoor furniture for patio and the like and is sometimes constructed from tubular aluminum combined with plastic, canvas or other material.

It is well known in the prior art to construct folding furniture from metal framework combined with various types of fabrics such as canvas or plastic either sewn or laced across the framework to provide support portions of the furniture. Typical items of such furniture construction are cots, folding chairs, chaise lounges, and rigid chairs. Some of these employ a type of lacing across the framework interlocked to provide the support portions and in lieu of a solid piece of canvas or plastic material. The cost of this on a highly competitive market is rather high. Additionally, the folding of the furniture inherently provides certain problems involving the material folding neatly into place and not becoming entangled in the framework either when folding the furniture to put away for storage. or when unfolding the furniture for use. Certain of the disadvantages and problems found in the prior art furniture construction of the folding type are solved by the resent invention.

Generally described, without restriction on the scope of our invention, the typical construction of the present invention is embodied in one form in a cot construction wherein a perimeter framework of extruded aluminum or the like is foldable substantially in the center thereof by means of a special bracket and has mounted therebeneath three tubular support frames, there being one in each end and one mounted in association with the center folding bracket. The extruded perimeter provides an open channel framework with recessed portion in which there is positioned the outer marginal edge of a fabric material of plastic, canvas or the like which is inserted in the extruded aluminum channel and then 'splined firmly in place by means or" a rubber, vinyl or similar material bead which is pressed and forced into the channel locking the material in the recessed portion thereof. The bead is a continuous or substantially continuous strip laced or fed into thechannel pressing the end of the material neatly therein and firmly locking the edge of the material completely around the perimeter of the framework. According to this construction, the fabric is not supported just at certain places but is supported completely around the perimeter of the cot and receives substantially equal ressure therearound. The folding bracket construction employs a pair of pivotally attached folding plates, one of which engages a stationary stop pin on the other and the pivot point between the two plates being above the engagement of the plate with the pin. The folding frames in the middle and on the two ends are each pivotally mounted on respective brackets which fold outwardly a limited distance at which time they engage the'underside of the main perimeter channel .of the cot.

In another embodiment, the features of the aforedescribed construction are contained in a folding chair which employs a m frame having a back support thereon and having attached thereto an auxiliary and folding frame which is attached by means of pivotally mounted levers. Mounted on the main frame is a swingable chair bottom adapted to fold into place between the main and auxiliary frame and having thereon suitable stop means to prohibit ice the bottom from swinging too far in either folding or unfolding. The back support and the bottom of the chair are constructed from a perimeter of extruded aluminum or the like similar to that described in connection with the cot previously and employing a channel portion on the extrusion into which the edges of the flexible material are inserted after the material is pulled taut and then splined in place by means of the vinyl or rubber bead or the like as described heretofore.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a folding furniture construction which eliminates lacing type covers or sewn type covers by the use of a special spline construction of less cost and better operation.

An additional object of this invention is found in the spline construction in the folding furniture which allows.

for the substitution or replacement of the cover by any cloth available without special sewing or stitching.

A further object of this invention is to provide a spline construction in folding furniture which eliminates the exof cutting, sewing and binding required on certain types of furniture.

Another advantage of this invention which results from the spline construction is that the cover is stronger than sewn covers because it contains no cut-out portions and because it is supported completely around its periphery thereby resulting in a lower load per inch of attaching surface, and it does not suffer from the deterioration and weakness of the holes which are made by a sewn thread construction.

A further advantage of the present invention relating to the spline'construction is that it allows the use of a low cost covenmaterial to give a strong, flexible seat and/or back at the lowest possible cost per square foot.

Still another object of this invention is found in the hinge design and construction which provides a single leg support with foldahility and strength but with a minimum' i6. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along the lines 2-2 of the cot shown in FIG. 1

showing the splined construction therein.

PEG. 3 is a top plan view of the right-hand edge of the cot shown in FIG. 3 and having an enlarged portion encircled about the center folding bracket.

PEG. 4 is a side elevation View of the cot side shown in FIG. 3 and showing in the encircled enlarged view the folding bracket enlarged in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation view showing a portion of the center folding support.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of a folding chair employing splined construction shown in the cot in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along lines 7- -7 in FIG. ,6 and showing in crosssection the splined construction on the chair bottom.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the chair shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of the chair shown in FIG. 8.

The cot 16, shown in FIG; 1,lends itself particularly for light-weight construction from aluminum tubing or extrusions and the like and is especially useful for patio and swimming pools and such similar places where it is aromas formation providing a perimeter 12 to which is attached the cover, bottom or Surface material 14 preferably of plastic or similar material preferably selected to endure the harmful effects of sun, wind and rain. Such, covers or bottoms 14 are sometimes made from an open weave Saran plastic for coolness and also in many other forms under other trademarks.

The perimeter extrusion or support member 12, as seen in FIG. 2, is extruded in an open channel formation having opposed faces 1618 forming therebetween and at the top thereof a spline groove or spline attachment channel member 2-0 having a continuous, open groove therein which is recessed at the top and which extends outwardly inside. The outer edge or perimeter 22 of the fabric 14 is placed and fed into the channel 20 and firmly pressed and held in place by means of a flexible spline member or spline bead 24 which may be constructed from vinyl or rubber or the like. This provides a special type of spline construction, the effect of which is to confine the outer or raw edge 22 of the fabric 14 completely around the perimeter 12 of cot 10, including the areas at the curves of the perimeter 12. In doing this, the fabric is supported not only at specific locations with cut-outs or missing portions but is actually supported along the entire outer edge thereof both on the sides and the ends thereby equally distributing the load of so many pounds per square inch, completely around the edge of the fabric 14.

Installation of the fabric 14 on the perimeter or frame 12 is a simple expedient employing a continuous strip of vinyl or similar material 24 which, from a starting point on the frame 12, following the stuffing of the outer edge 22 of the fabric 14 into the channel 29, is fed into the channel 20 on top of the fabric 14 as the fabric is stuffed in continuous fashion all around the perimeter of the frame 12. Fabric cover 14 is fastened on one side and then stretched and positioned as it is splined into place by the bead 24.

Frame 12 is divided substantially in the center thereof at position 23, at which place there is located a folding support bracket construction 30 having attached therewith a U-shape bottom support and center support frame 32 of light-weight tubular construction, having therewith an auxiliary brace frame 34 attached in the manner also shown in FIG. 5. Each of the ends of frame 32 and auxiliary frame 34 are attached to a respective folding I side of the cot frame 12 a plate member 56 riveted by rivets 58 to the side of frame 12 and having an arcuate portion 6% at the front edge thereof adapted in outwardly unfolded condition of cot 10 to engage a stop member or pin 62 protruding through the other plate member 64 of bracket 3% which is attached outside of bracket 36 to the outside of frame 12. A pivot pin 66 connects theupper portions of the two plate members 56, 64 together at a point above the location of the engagement of edge 69 with stop member 62, thus providing a positive stop for frame 12 upon unfolding. The relative locations of pivot pins 66, 40, 5t and 52 and floor contact point 68 of center support frame 32 allow the bottom portion of frame 12 to be self supporting on the unfolded center support frame 32 and the unfolded bottom U-shape sup: port frames 43. This construction prevents the cot from collapsing about pivot pin 66 from the weight of an occupant on the bottom portion of frame 12, thus eliminating a fourth support.

In the operation of the folding of the cot 10, the frames 46 and 48 fold inwardly towards the center of the cot in the manner shown in FIG. 4 and the frame 32 folds upwardly in the manner shown in FIG. 4. The lower portion of the cot above frame 43 folds upon the upper portion of the cot above bracket 46 about the pivot pin 66 at brackets 28, thereby providing a substantially completely folded cot which is approximately the length of half of the cot shown in FIG. 1.

The chair 100 shown in FIG. 6 and the other figures of the drawings is constructed from a substantially U-shape main frame 162 having attached thereto for folding outwardly at an angle therefrom an auxiliary support frame 104 of U-shape construction connected by means of an attaching link 1116 and pivot pins 198 to each side of the main frame 102. The bottom 110 of chair 104i employs a continuous, rectangular frame 112 constructed from extruded aluminum channel or the like in a manner similar to the extruded frame 12 of cot 10 and includes an open channel 114 into which the outer edges of the chair bottom material 116 is stuffed or inserted and thereafter splined in place by means of a vinyl or rubber spline or the like 118 which is forced into the channel 114 above the material 116. Each side of the frame 112 ofbottom 110 is pivotally connected at two different points 120, 122 to the main frame 102 and the auxiliary frame 104, respectively. The mechanics of movement and location of pins 120, 122, with respect to the link 106 and its respective pivots 108, are such that as the frames or frames 102, 104, are opened on one mounted in place by means of a pivot pin 40 attached to the side of frame 12.

Similar brackets 42 and 44 are employed respectively on the top and the bottom portions of frame 12 to pivotal 1y support a respective top U-shaped support frame 46 and a similar bottom folding U-shaped support frame 48 having the respective ends thereof attached by rivets, screws, or the like, to the respective brackets 42, 44 on each side of the frame 12. Brackets 42, 44 are pivotally mounted on opposite sides of frame 12 by respective pivot pins 50, 52 whereby the respective supports 46, 48 may be swung from a nested or folded position extending toward the middle of the cot to a down position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. In the down position of both of the support frames 46, 48, the top portions respectively 54 of the frames 46 and 48 engage the underside of frame 12 and limit the downward travel of the respective frames 46, 48, which have passed a point of vertical position whereby pressure on top of the cot tends to maintain the frames 46, 48 in an outwardly extending condition.

The frame 12 of cot 10 is foldably connected together at the center position 28 by means of the special brackets 39, there being one on each side of the frame 12 of identical construction and each bracket 30 having on one another the chair bottom falls forward to its unfolded or downward position.

The fabric 14 which makes up the bottom 116 is the same fabric used in the bottom construction 14 in cot 10 and is splined in place in channel 114 in the same manner as employed in connection with the frame 12 and channel 20 of the cot 10.

Pivotally mounted by attachment pivot screws 126 on each side of the top of frame 102 is a back support frame member 128 employing a continuous rectangular frame 130 of extruded aluminum channels similar to that shown in FIG. 4 which is employed on chair bottom 110 and has stretched tightly thereon a back support fabric 132 splined in place by beans of a vinyl bead or the like 134 in a manner identical with the splined construction shown in FIG. 4 in connection with the bottom material 116 which is placed in the channel 112 by means of the vinyl bead 118.

It is worthwhile to note that in the use of splined construction shown in the cot 10 and chair 100 the materials 14 and 116 respectively are supported completely around the periphery of their respective frames and the expense of cutting, sewing and binding has been eliminated since an ordinary piece of fabric is cut from the bolt and used with the raw edge which is substantially hidden in the channels of the respective frames 12 and 112. In addition, the type of material used may be lower in cost since it does not have to be quite as heavy or strong as in the case of cut and and sewn materials, and furthermore only the exact amount needed is out since the splined construction allows a very close fitting.

While we have shown and described the particular embodiment of our invention together with suggested uses thereof and in both a chair and a cot construction, this is for purpose of illustration only and is not to be construed as any sort of limitation on the scope of our invention since various alterations, substitutions, changes and deviations may be made in the embodiment shown and described without departing from the scope of our invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a cot construction, a continuous cot frame, a front foldable support frame on the underside of said cot foldable from an upward to a downward position, a rear foldable frame on said cot foldable from an upward to a downward position, and an intermediate support frame on said cot frame foldable from an upward to a downward position, said upper frame being divided substantially in the center thereof to be folded upon itself, a bracket on each side of said cot frame connecting said divided frame for movement, each of said brackets comprising a pair of bracket plates, there being one plate secured on each of the adjacent end portions of said divided cot frame at the point of'division at the side of said frame, one of said plates having an end thereon and the other of said plates having a stop pin protruding therefrom for abutment with said other plate end, both of said bracket plates being connected together by means of a pivot pin located above said cot frame, and a flexible cover on said cot frame stretched from side to side and end to end on said frame.

2. in a cot construction, a substantially rectangular and continuous cot frame formed from extruded aluminum and the like and having a support portion formed continuously about the length thereof, said cot frame being divided substantially in the center thereof to be folded upon itself, a bracket on each side of said cot frame connecting said divided frame for movement, said bracket comprising a pair of bracket plates, there being one plate secured on each of the adjacent end portions of said divided cot frame at the point of division at the side of said frame, one of said plates having an end thereon and the other of said plates having a stop pin protruding therefrom for abutment with said other plate end, both of said brackets being connected together by means of a pivot pin located above said cot frame, a foldable U-shape frame on the front end of said cot, a bracket on each end of said frame attaching said frame pivotally to said cot frame, said front frame having a portion thereof for abutment with the underside of said cot to stop said foldable frame at a downward position, a foldable U-shape frame on the rear end of said cot, each end of said rear end foldable frame having a bracket thereon pivotally attached to said cot frame, said rear frame having a portion thereof abutting with the underside of said frame when said frame is folded in a downwardly position to stop the outward movement thereof, an intermediate U-shape frame mounted on said cot intermediate the length thereof, brackets attaching said intermediate support to said cot frame, said intermediate frame having a portion thereof enga gable with the underside of said cot frame when said support is in extended position to limit the extent of downward travel of said support to a point more than vertical, one of said plates having a stop portion thereon and the other of said plates a stop member protruding therefrom for abutment with said other plate end, both of said bracket plates being connected together by means of a pivot pin located above said cot frame, a flexible cover on said cot stretched from side to side and end to end on said frame, the edges of said cover being attached on said frame support portion.

3. In a cot construction, a substantially rectangular and continuous cot frame formed from extruded aluminum and the like and having an open splined portion formed continuously about the length thereof, the interior of said splined portion being enlarged to provide a recess on each side thereof, a front foldable support frame on the underside of said cot foldable from an upward to a downward position, a rear foldable frame on said cot foldable from an upward to a downward position, and an intermediate support frame on said cot foldable from an upward to a downward position, said upper frame being divided substantially in the center thereof to be folded upon itself, a bracket on each side of said cot frame connecting said divided frame for movement, said bracket comprising a pair of bracket plates, there being one plate secured on each of the adjacent end portions of said divided cot frame at the point of division at the side of said frame, one of said plates having an end thereon and the other of said plates having a stop pin protruding therefrom for abutment with said other plate end, both of said brackets being connected together by means of a pivot pin located above said cot frame, a bracket on each end of said front frame attaching said frame pivotally to said cot frame, said front frame having a portion thereof for abutment with the underside of said cot to stop said foldable frame at a downward position, said rear end frame having a bracket thereon pivotally attached to said cot frame, said rear frame having a portion thereof abutting with the underside of said cot frame when said cot frame is folded in a downwardly position to stop the outward movement thereof, brackets on said intermediate support, and said intermediate support having a portion thereof engageable with the underside of said cot frame when said support is in extended position to limit the extent of downward travel of said support to a point more than vertical, and a flexible cover on said cot.

4. In a cot construction, a substantially rectangular and continuous cot frame formed from extruded aluminum and the like and having an open splined portion formed continuously about the length thereof, the interior of said splined portion being enlarged to provide a recess on each side thereof, said upper frame being divided substantially in the center thereof to be folded upon itself, a bracket on each side of said cot frame connecting said divided frame for movement, said bracket comprising a pair of bracket plates, there being one plate secured on each of the adjacent end portions of said divided cot frame at the point of division at the side of said frame, one of said plates having an end thereon and the other of said plates having a stop pin protruding therefrom for abutment with said other plate end, both I of said bracket plates being connected together by means of a pivot pin located above said cot frame, a foldable U-shape frame on the front end of said cot, a bracket on each end of said frame attaching said frame pivotally to said cot frame, said front frame having a portion thereof for abutment with the underside of said cot frame to stop said foldable frame at a downward position, a foldable U-shape frame on the rear end of said cot, each end of said rear end foldable frame having a bracket thereon pivotally attached to said cot frame, said rear end frame having a portion thereof abutting with the underside of said cot frame when said rear frame is folded in a downwardly position to stop the outward movement thereof, an intermediate U-shape frame mounted on said cot intermediate the length thereof, brackets attaching said intermediate support to said cot frame, said intermediate support having a portion thereof engageable with the underside of said cot frame when said support is in extended position to limit the extent of downward travel of said support to a point more than vertical, a flexible cover on said cot stretched from side to side and end to end on said frame, the edges of said cover being attached in said frame by a spline arrangement therein comprising a flexible spline member forced into said channel on top of said cover to firmly force said end of said cover in place in said channel and removably to hold same therein.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Horton 5-110 X Clough et al 5-112 X Stannard 5-353.2 Ward 5-197 X Forbes et a1 5-198 X Klee 15-3532 Stubnitz 5-353.3

Asaro 5-353.2

. 8 s Hoven 297-252 Shannon 5-111 Vandenninden 5-111' Ferar et a1. 297-55 Vanderminden 5-111 Earnes 297-455 Davis 5-82 Hartwig 5-111 Shwayder 297-26 2 Davis 5-82 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE L. BREHM, Examiner. 

1. IN A COT CONSTRUCTION, A CONTINUOUS COT FRAME, A FRONT FOLDABLE SUPPORT FRAME ON THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID COT FOLDABLE FROM AN UPWARD TO A DOWNWARD POSITION, A REAR FOLDABLE FRAME ON SAID COT FOLDABLE FROM AN UPWARD TO A DOWNWARD POSITION, AND AN INTERMEDIATE SUPPORT FRAME ON SAID COT FRAME FOLDABLE FROM AN UPWARD TO A DOWNWARD POSITION, SAID UPPER FRAME BEING DIVIDED SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE CENTER THEREOF TO BE FOLDED UPON ITSELF, A BRACKET ON EACH SIDE OF SAID COT FRAME CONNECTING SAID DIVIDED FRAME FOR MOVEMENT, EACH OF SAID BRACKETS COMPRISING A PAIR OF BRACKET PLATES, THERE BEING ONE PLATE SECURED ON EACH OF THE ADJACENT END PORTIONS OF SAID DIVIDED COT FRAME AT THE POINT OF DIVISION AT THE SIDE OF SAID FRAME, ONE OF SAID PLATES HAVING AN END THEREON AND THE OTHER OF SAID PLATES HAVING A STOP PIN PROTRUDING THEREFROM FOR ABUTMENT WITH SAID OTHER PLATE END, BOTH OF SAID BRACKET PLATES BEING CONNECTED TOGETHER BY MEANS OF A PIVOT PIN LOCATED ABOVE SAID COT FRAME, AND A FLEXIBLE COVER ON SAID COT FRAME STRETCHED FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND END TO END ON SAID FRAME. 